Curt Johnson (soccer)

Last updated • 4 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Curt Johnson
Sam Mewis NC Ring of Honor (Mar 2024) 14.jpg
Johnson in 2024
North Carolina FC/North Carolina Courage
Position: General manager
Career information
High school: Ravenscroft School
College: North Carolina State University
Career history
As an administrator:
Career highlights and awards

Curt Johnson is an American soccer executive who currently serves as General Manager and President of North Carolina Football Club, home of North Carolina FC of the USL Championship and the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League. [1]

Contents

A Raleigh native, Johnson graduated from Ravenscroft School and played collegiately at North Carolina State University, where he served as senior captain, helped the Wolfpack win the 1990 ACC Championship and graduated with a degree in communications studies. [2] In 2013, Johnson was inducted into the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame. [3]

Before working in his current position, Johnson previously worked for the Richmond Kickers, Kansas City Wizards, Carolina Hurricanes and U.S. Club Socce r.

Playing career

Following his prep career at Ravenscroft School and Capital Area Soccer League (CASL), Johnson continued his player career at the collegiate level in his hometown, starring for the NC State Wolfpack men’s soccer team from 1987-90. [4]

During his career with the Wolfpack, Johnson appeared in 72 matches, and served as a captain in his senior season, as NC State won an ACC Championship and reached the NCAA semifinals. After his playing career, Johnson would later return to NC State as an assistant coach. [5]

North Carolina Football Club (North Carolina FC/NC Courage)

In February 2011, it was announced that Johnson, who most recently worked for US Club Soccer, would serve as President of the Carolina RailHawks. [6] In Johnson’s first season leading the club, the RailHawks won the NASL regular season title under first-year head coach Martin Rennie, going 17W-8L-3D with a then league-record 13-game unbeaten streak.

From 2012-14, the RailHawks achieved national notoriety and developed a reputation as one of the toughest second-division teams in the country to play against thanks to their performances in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. From 2012-14, the RailHawks recorded five wins against Major League Soccer opponents, including three in as many years against the LA Galaxy. The RailHawks reached the quarterfinals of the competition in both 2012 and 2014.

In 2015, Johnson helped oversee the transfer in ownership of the RailHawks from Traffic Sports USA to Stephen Malik, a local Triangle businessman and medical software entrepreneur. Bolstered by new, local ownership, Johnson in 2016 was instrumental in the RailHawks hosting English Premier League Club West Ham United in front of a then North Carolina Football Club-record 10,125 fans. [7]

In December 2016, the RailHawks rebranded to North Carolina FC, and in January 2017 Malik announced the addition of the North Carolina Courage, an NWSL team which Johnson was named president and general manager of. [8]

Both NCFC and the Courage reached the postseason in 2017, as the Courage claimed the NWSL Shield and reached the league’s title game. Johnson also played a pivotal role in negotiating an historic partnership between North Carolina Football Club, Capital Area Soccer League and Triangle Futbol Club, which led to the creation of NCFC Youth, which Johnson currently serves on the board of. As a result, North Carolina Football Club is the largest youth-to-pro soccer organization in the U.S.

Ahead of the 2018 season, Johnson helped orchestrate a deals that saw the Courage acquire U.S. Women’s National Team star Crystal Dunn and former USWNT standout Heather O'Reilly, and the team became the first in NWSL history win both the shield and NWSL Championship. [9] [10]

Following the 2018 USL season, Johnson made his second NCFC coaching change, as the club announced the hiring of former U.S. Men’s National Team Manager Dave Sarachan on Dec. 17, 2018. [11] With Sarachan in charge, NCFC finished seventh in the USL Championship Eastern Conference and reached the playoffs for the second time in three years in 2019. Meanwhile, the Courage made history by becoming the first team in NWSL history to win a league championship on its home field, as it defeated the Chicago Red Stars 4-0 in front 10,227 spectators, the largest crowd in North Carolina Football Club history. [12]

Previous Front Office Experience

Johnson’s first stint as a professional soccer executive came in the late 1990s with the Richmond Kickers of the A-League. From 1997-99, Johnson served in a leadership role, both as vice president of operations and general manager. During Johnson’s tenure with the Kickers, the team reached the postseason annually and won the Atlantic Division in 1998.

After his third season in Richmond, Johnson was chosen as the general manager of the Kansas City Wizards by Lamar Hunt and Clark Hunt. During his tenure with the Wizards, Johnson made an immediate impact, as Kansas City completed the double by winning both the MLS Supporters’ Shield and the MLS Cup in 2000. Four years later, Johnson and Kansas City once again lifted a trophy in 2004 with a win over the Chicago Fire in the U.S. Open Cup Final. In addition to his tactical and management decision making, Johnson was also instrumental in the transfer of ownership of the club from the Hunt family to OnGoal, LLC.

Before joining North Carolina Football Club in 2011, Johnson served as the Carolina Hurricanes’ director of marketing from 2007–08 and later worked for U.S. Club Soccer, where he was instrumental in developing strategies for growth of the game at the youth levels for both boys and girls.

Related Research Articles

Dave Sarachan is an American former soccer player and coach. Sarachan spent two seasons as a player in the North American Soccer League and four in Major Indoor Soccer League before retiring in 1982. Since then, he has coached at the collegiate, professional, and national team levels. He served as head coach with Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer from 2002 to 2007 and as interim head coach of the United States men's national soccer team from 2017 to 2018. As of July 2023, Sarachan serves as Assistant Coach for Robbie Keane’s Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dario Brose</span> American soccer player and coach

Dario Brose is a retired American soccer player who spent eight seasons in Europe, three in Major League Soccer and one in the USL First Division. He has also coached the Mid-Michigan Bucks of the Premier Development League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina FC</span> Soccer team based in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina

North Carolina FC is an American professional soccer team in Cary, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, and member of the USL Championship. Founded in 2006, the team previously was named the Carolina Railhawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Schweitzer</span> American soccer player (born 1971)

Scott Schweitzer is an American soccer coach and former player. He spent two years as the head coach of Carolina RailHawks FC.

Athletes and sports teams from North Carolina compete across an array of professional and amateur levels of competition, along with athletes who compete at the World and Olympic levels in their respective sport. Major league professional teams based in North Carolina include teams that compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), and National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The state is also home to NASCAR Cup Series races. At the collegiate and university level, there are several North Carolina schools in various conferences across an array of divisions. North Carolina also has many minor league baseball teams. There are also a number of indoor football, indoor soccer, minor league basketball, and minor league ice hockey teams based throughout the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Jonas</span> American soccer player and coach

Mark Jonas is an American soccer midfielder who had a twelve-year professional career in the U.S. indoor and lower division outdoor leagues. He earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santiago Fusilier</span> Argentine footballer

Santiago Fusilier is an Argentinian former soccer player who played as a midfielder and was most famous for his time with Crystal Palace Baltimore. Santiago was the ACC Freshman Player of the Year in 2003. He was one of the best players in NC State, being named All-ACC in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He had the winning goal against UNC when they were ranked number 1 in the nation which led the Wolfpack to win the ACC championship. Fusilier was the fan favorite player voted when playing for the Carolina Railhawks in 2007 and 2008. He was voted the offensive player of the year in 2008, where he led the team in points with 6 goals and 8 assists.

Dewan Bader is an American soccer coach and former player who played as a defender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin da Luz</span> American soccer player

Austin da Luz is an American former professional soccer player.

Akira Fitzgerald is a Japanese professional footballer who plays for USL Championship club North Carolina FC as a goalkeeper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Riley (footballer)</span> English football coach

Paul Riley is an English former football player and coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina FC U23</span> Soccer club

North Carolina FC U23 is an American soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina. It was founded in 2002 as the Raleigh Elite, and the current affiliate of North Carolina FC, a third division club in the United Soccer League. The team plays in USL League Two, and previously in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). The team was known as the Cary Clarets in 2008 and 2009; and went dormant for a year in 2010. As a member of the USASA League, the then-Carolina RailHawks U23's took the Men's Region III Championship in 2011, 2012, and 2013 and won the U-23's National Championship in 2011 and 2013. The team's colors are navy blue, gold, and cardinal red.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWSL expansion</span>

The expansion of the National Women's Soccer League began with the league's sophomore season in 2014, when the league expanded to a ninth team in Houston, and is an ongoing process that currently has seen five expansions, three direct or indirect relocations, and one contraction. The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) was established as the top level of professional women's soccer in the United States in 2013 in the wake of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association and Women's Professional Soccer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nazmi Albadawi</span> Palestinian association football player

Nazmi Nidal Nazmi Albadawi is a former Palestinian professional footballer who recently played as a midfielder for North Carolina FC and the Palestine national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abby Dahlkemper</span> American soccer player (born 1993)

Abigail Lynn Dahlkemper is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conor Donovan (soccer)</span> American professional soccer player

Conor Donovan is an American professional soccer player who currently plays for Sacramento Republic in the USL Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Courage</span> American professional womens soccer team in North Carolina

The North Carolina Courage is a professional women's soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina. It was founded on January 9, 2017, after Stephen Malik acquired National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchise rights from the Western New York Flash. The Courage is affiliated with the men's team North Carolina FC of the United Soccer League and plays its home games at the WakeMed Soccer Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Malik</span>

Stephen Malik is a Welsh-American businessman and sports owner who owns and is chairman of North Carolina FC of United Soccer League and North Carolina Courage of National Women's Soccer League. He also founded and was executive chairman of medical technology company Medfusion, and was a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors from March 2017 to March 2019 and February 2020 to February 2021.

Leah Pruitt is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tziarra King</span> American soccer player

Tziarra Lanae King is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club OL Reign.

References

  1. "Front Office". www.northcarolinafc.com. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  2. "Johnson Building RailHawks Brand After Pack Playing Days". NC State University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  3. "Curt Johnson Selected to N.C. Soccer Hall of Fame". North Carolina FC. 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2020-01-19.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. "Johnson Building RailHawks Brand After Pack Playing Days". NC State University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  5. "Johnson Building RailHawks Brand After Pack Playing Days". NC State University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  6. Morris, Neil (2011-02-15). "With new season finally beckoning, RailHawks coach Martin Rennie discusses roster and reputation". INDY Week. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  7. "RailHawks Draw with English Premier League's West Ham United 2-2". North Carolina FC. 2016-07-12. Retrieved 2020-01-19.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. WRAL (2016-12-06). "RailHawks rebrand as North Carolina FC; will seek MLS franchise". WRALSportsFan.com. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  9. Communications, NC Courage (2018-01-16). "NC Courage Acquires Rights to USWNT Forward Crystal Dunn and an International Spot in Trade with Washington Spirit". North Carolina Courage. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  10. Communications, NC Courage (2018-09-22). "HISTORY! NC Courage Claim NWSL Championship with 3-0 Win Over Portland". North Carolina Courage. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  11. USLChampionship com Staff (2018-12-17). "North Carolina FC Appoints Dave Sarachan as Head Coach". USL Championship. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  12. Communications, NC Courage (2019-10-27). "North Carolina Courage Wins Second Straight NWSL Championship With Dominant 4-0 Win Over Chicago Red Stars on Sunday". North Carolina Courage. Retrieved 2020-01-19.[ permanent dead link ]